UK heatwaves drive surge in demand for home cooling as shoppers race to beat the heat
New data* from Debenhams Group reveals sales of “cooling” products more than tripled on a year-on-year basis during the recent warm weather this summer. New data from Debenhams [...]
Shoppers buy equivalent of 314 million pints of lager as UK supermarkets cash in on the record-breaking heatwaves and FIFA World Cup
England’s World Cup quarter final brought in the highest share of online FMCG sales this year for rapid delivery (14 percent) as online remains the fastest-growing channel [...]
UK economy set for major half a billion boost during England’s Semi-final clash against Argentina tonight
26.2 million fans to watch England’s game Retail stores to see £356.5m boost Hospitality venues to see record attendance of 7m, with sales of £98.3m Semi-final round to [...]
Consumer confidence stabilises and spending grows 1.9 percent in June, as pubs enjoy a World Cup boost
Non-essential spending grew 1.7 percent while growth in essential spend reached its highest point since April 2025 Pubs enjoyed their busiest day of the year when England [...]
Square data shows local business boost during football’s biggest moment
As the world’s largest football tournament is brought to North American soil, global payments company, Square, tracked how the group matches created distinct economic patterns for local [...]
Social media trends are a key test of supply chain resilience
By Tim Deeker-Harris, Vice President at Proxima Anyone for splitting the G? The Guinness shortages of 2024 showed how a viral social media trend can disrupt global [...]
Social media drives 1.7 billion annual visits to UK high streets
New American Express research finds almost two-thirds of UK adults have visited a shop or hospitality venue after being influenced by content they saw on social media [...]
Supermarket growth cools after end of May heatwave while World Cup fever drives surge in online and promotional spending
Warmer weather and start of the World Cup created a boost in rapid delivery, which saw its highest share of online sales (12.8 percent) this year Promotional [...]
Father’s Day spending to net £1.3bn but consumer confidence keeps retailers on the back foot
Father’s Day spending is set to reach £1.3bn in 2026, representing growth of +3 percent year-on-year according to the latest findings from retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy. Carried out [...]
Card spending returns to growth in May, as consumer confidence begins to show signs of recovery
Confidence in the UK, European and global economies all climbed, and concerns about rising energy, fuel and food prices began to ease Both essential and non-essential spending [...]
Spring fashion and cross-shopping trends drive standout performance at Eldon Square
New data from Eldon Square has revealed strong engagement with fashion and lifestyle shopping categories this spring, with April total centre sales rising +4.5 percent year-on-year (+1.3 [...]
36 percent of shoppers have used AI to help buy groceries, with most using it to compare prices
Consumers are increasingly turning to AI to compare prices, research products and even buy groceries, transforming everyday shopping habits. Rithum, a global commerce operations platform, has released [...]
Brits spend 370 million hours a month on parcel admin
Consumers spend 66 hours a year managing deliveries and returns, as parcels become part of everyday life Quadient, a global automation platform powering secure and sustainable business connections, has [...]
2026 World Cup to generate a record £2.90bn for retail
UK consumers set to spend £3.80bn over the 2026 World Cup tournament 26.4 million people expected to make a retail purchase for the World Cup Grocery retailers [...]
Brits set to stock up ahead of the long weekend
Zilch, the intelligent payments platform, has analysed its UK transaction data from grocery and home & DIY retailers around past late May Bank Holidays, to determine consumers’ [...]
World Cup 2026 set to drive a new wave of retail spend as fans shop the moment, not just the match
As the countdown to the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, analysis and forward-looking insights from unified commerce Shopify Plus agency Visualsoft suggest the tournament will trigger a [...]
Spending falls -0.1 percent in April after 16 months of growth, but consumers show resilience amid ongoing uncertainty
Non-essential spending declined -0.3 percent, while essential spend was propped up by a 10.4 percent uplift in fuel While 72 percent cite cost-of-living concerns, the majority remain [...]
Shoppers spend big: £17m boost from Mothering Sunday and early Easter build up
Spring weather saw shoppers spending more at major UK supermarkets, with sales up +9.3 percent (w/e 14th March). Earlier than usual Easter offers accounted for 24 percent [...]
Google data reveals 2026 Easter trends driven by bespoke gifting, digital kitchens, and high-end indulgence
New search data from Google and YouTube has revealed a fundamental shift in how British consumers are approaching Easter 2026. As the long weekend approaches, the UK [...]
Easter sales forecast to rise 14 percent as shoppers balance value with higher spend
Easter is set for a stronger performance in 2026 according to the latest insights from retail and shopper marketing agency, Savvy. Carried out across a representative sample of [...]
July 2026 issue
2026 A1 Buyers Guide
